Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water vs. Water Filter Pitcher

February 25th, 2014

What’s all the fuss about Reverse Osmosis (RO)? Why would I want to buy an RO when I could just buy a water filter pitcher? I’m glad you asked – that’s what we were just about to discuss! Let’s compare, shall we?

Space. The space in your refrigerator is limited, and water filter pitchers can often be one of the biggest items in your fridge. With a reverse osmosis system, it hooks on to your sink. This frees up space in your fridge for other things – not drinking water.

Capacity. “There are some pretty big water filter pitchers out there,” you might argue. And you’re right. There are some high-capacity pitchers out there, but no matter the size, you’ll find yourself filling them up more often than you’d like. With an RO, the only thing you’ll be filling up is your glass.

Availability. If you’ve ever used a water filter pitcher, you’ve seen that the filtration isn’t instant. After you fill it up (which you’ll do often – especially when you have friends over), you have to sit and wait for it to finish filtering before pouring another glass. It doesn’t take long, but you still have to wait. Wouldn’t it be better to have a reverse osmosis system to instantly give you fresh, great-tasting water at a moment’s notice?

Filtration. Perhaps the most compelling difference between a water filter pitcher and an RO is that a reverse osmosis drinking water system uses a multi-stage filtration process to remove impurities (ours are typically 3‑5 stages) from your water, while pitchers usually have a single-stage carbon filter. RO drinking water systems have a carbon filter, too, but they also have additional stages to remove everything from sediment to harmful impurities like lead, radium, aesthetic chlorine, chromium‑6, and arsenic.*

Now do you see what the fuss is about? Reverse osmosis drinking water machines provide you with superior convenience and save space in your refrigerator. Contact your local Culligan Man to get more information about a customized reverse osmosis system for your home today!

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* Not everybody’s water contains these impurities; yours might not. Schedule a water analysis with your local Culligan Man to find out what’s in your water.

Culligan vs. Big Box

January 29th, 2014

“Why should I have the Culligan Man come to my home and install a reverse osmosis system when I can buy one from a big box store?” It’s the question of many people who are considering a fairly large purchase like a reverse osmosis or water softener system. Big Box Retailers may often have Culligan systems beat on price, but you won’t get the same experience of buying from your local Culligan Man who is committed to both exceptional quality and service. Let’s compare:

Big Box Retailers don’t typically make most of their own products. They resell products. Generally, this leads them to look for a low-price supplier so they can have a reasonable markup for profit. Suppliers, then, may have to cut costs on their products to compete for the Big Box Store business.

An easy way for suppliers to cut costs is the use of cheaper materials and labor. By offshoring manufacturing to companies outside of the United States, suppliers can save on labor, and by designing simple products that utilize cheap materials, suppliers can save on materials. For reverse osmosis systems, this typically translates into using low cost plastics, materials, and components. It also can mean reducing features that enhance efficiency, such as eliminating a cut-off pressure switch and allowing waste water to run to drain constantly. These cost-cutting measures can lead to a lower-quality product with a shorter warranty period.

Big Box Stores may frequently change suppliers to minimize cost and maximize profit. Since suppliers change periodically, repair parts for a product may not be available after only a few years. Additionally, product service often requires the hassle of sending a part back to the manufacturer, not the Big Box Store where it was purchased.

Big Box Stores generally outsource installation and maintenance. They may have agreement with third parties to handle installation, but this is often a competitive bid-type arrangement. The company who can do it cheapest is probably the one that gets the job. In this arrangement, the maintenance person is not usually the same as the one who installed it. When the product malfunctions, inevitably the question arises as to whether it was properly installed or is actually malfunctioning. It can be a challenge to find a maintenance person who is knowledgeable about the product beyond installation.

Culligan offers a refreshing contrast:

Culligan makes and assembles their own products. Some components may come from outside the USA, but all Culligan products are designed and assembled in the USA by strict corporate guidelines which meet or exceed industry standards.

Culligan is ISO 9001 certified and no other water treatment company holds as many patents as Culligan. This ensures quality. These standards are strictly enforced on products, and operational efficiency is the driving goal.

Culligan is its own supplier. Pricing standards are the same for all Culligan dealers. Dealers can control the retail price based on local market demands, but the products are consistent and can be serviced by Culligan.

Only licensed dealers can sell, install, and maintain Culligan products. Dealers and technicians are specifically trained on Culligan products. Culligan International has been operating since 1934 and has more experience and knowledge than almost all other water treatment product vendors.

So how does choosing your local Culligan Man benefit you, the customer?

Only the highest quality equipment is offered at prices competitive for like quality products. The Culligan name is known internationally, and Culligan equipment adds value to your home. All of our offerings, from water softeners to whole-home systems to our various drinking water solutions are installed and maintained by experienced and trained technicians. A free water analysis is completed before any recommendation is made. We ensure the solution matches the need. Culligan offers long warranties and long-term support. Our customers get peace of mind that they have the best product and best water for home and family.

Thanksgiving with the Culligan Family

November 26th, 2013

As Thanksgiving approaches here in the States, the importance of family is often brought to our attention whether we spend the holiday with our families or not. Although our family gatherings are rarely as picturesque as a Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post cover, Thanksgiving often has a way of bringing our families together in ways other seasons simply don’t.

Your local Culligan Man is committed to caring for you as if you were family. Culligan has the resources to give you big-company service, and is local enough to give you small-business care. With Culligan in your neighborhood, Culligan can provide you with excellent water care in your home.

Culligan’s water softening systems can be customized to remove impurities like iron, sulfur, and even arsenic from your local water. Culligan offers drinking water solutions that are well suited to meet your local needs: bottled water can often be delivered straight to your door. Additionally, a bottle-free cooler system or an under-sink reverse-osmosis system can provide you with low-maintenance, high-quality water in your home without the water deliveries.

We here at Culligan make it our goal to treat you like family, not just during Thanksgiving, but all year. As your local water experts, we try to provide you with the best of care, whether that involves bottled water delivery or performing repairs and maintenance on your Culligan whole house filtration system. Since we’re part of your communities ourselves, we understand your water and your needs. We hope you’ll consider joining the Culligan family this Thanksgiving, and we sincerely hope that your Thanksgiving is a great time spent with your family.

Renter’s Guide to Good Water

Did this statement take you off-guard? It shouldn’t. The reality is there. Even if you’re renting your current living space, you can enjoy some or all of the benefits of Culligan-provided great water.

The important thing to remember about good water when you’re renting is that what is available to you depends largely on your particular living arrangement with your landlord or lady. The rule of thumb with water systems is that if the water system requires major plumbing changes, you’ll probably have to get those approved by your landlord.

So what is available? Under-sink drinking water systems are a great option for great-tasting drinking water. These systems filter your existing water, removing bad-tasting impurities. Other drinking water alternatives may include free-standing bottled-water coolers and bottle-free coolers, depending on where you live. Ask your Culligan Man about drinking water options in your area if you’d like to try a drinking water system.

Water softeners may be an option to you, but these would likely need to be approved by your landlord. Culligan Water Softeners help get rid of hard water stains in kitchens and bathrooms, which reduce cleaning time and cost. Soft water also provides you with softer skin and hair, not to mention brighter/softer laundry. When it comes to water softening solutions, Culligan can work with your building management to determine the best water treatment option for your specific living situation.

What about financing? Aren’t water systems expensive? Yes, sometimes they can be. However, many times these pieces of equipment can be rented and may even qualify for rent-to-own type programs through your local Culligan dealer. Additionally, if you do start renting and have to move, you can likely take your equipment with you, in some cases paying only a service charge to move the equipment if you’re moving to another location within your Culligan Man’s service area.

Bottle-Free Coolers provide a number of benefits over traditional bottled water coolers:

Forget having to replace bottles, Bottle-Free Coolers do not have bottles that can go empty and need to be stored.

Since the Bottle-Free Cooler taps into and filters your existing water supply, there is an unlimited supply of great-tasting water.

Never running out means no more having to wait for more bottled water to be delivered. The days of waiting for your bottled water delivery route driver can be over. Bottle-Free Coolers are the pinnacle in drinking water freedom!

“But why would I want a water cooler that uses my own tap water,” you might ask. After all, you wanted to get away from drinking tap water in the first place, right? When Culligan installs a Bottle-Free Cooler in your office (or even your home), they first test your water to ensure that unwanted chemicals and minerals are being removed. Your own water is filtered on-site, and Culligan’s Bottle-Free Water Coolers can provide you with cold or hot water, same as a traditional cooler. The hot water is great for making things like tea and coffee, especially as the weather begins to turn.

If you are interested in learning how a Bottle-Free Cooler can save your business (or home) time and money, get in touch with your Culligan Man by dialing the phone number above. Your Culligan Man can assess your particular situation and answer any questions you may have. Office drinking water can be as easy as saying, “Hey Culligan Man!”